Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: May 2014

Friday, May 30, 2014

Maleficent - Review

MALEFICENT
(2014 - May 30)
Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Family
1 hr. 37 min.

Rated: PG | For Sequences of Fantasy Action, Frightening Images and Sequences of Fantasy Violence
Grade: B-

Director: Robert Stromberg
Writers: Linda Woolverton, Charles Perrault (based from the story "La Belle au bois dormant" by), 9 more credits
Stars: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley | See full cast and crew

A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land's fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal - an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces a battle with the invading king's successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom - and perhaps to Maleficent's true happiness as well. Written by Walt Disney Pictures

It's not that Malficent is a bad movie, it should have been a great movie but in the end it disappoints. It looks good, the sets, costumes the CGI visuals, and it was promoted with great promise. I was expecting something BIG. The writing, conceptualization are weak and casting, I think, is one of the major problems. Maleficent is all about Angelina Jolie (Maleficent) and that, quite simply, is not enough.

I found Angelina's prosthetic cheek bones so severe that they were very distracting and totally unnecessary, as were the scarification like marks on Sam Riley (Diaval).

Sharlto Copley (Stefan) was Machiavellian right from the start and not likely someone the young Maleficent would fall for. Were talking about a cross spiecies relationship here, of course, Fairies and Humans. Elle Fanning (Aroura/Sleeping Beauty) is far from endearing and not attractive enough for the role, not that she isn't a pretty girl in real life but as the character she isn't. Brenton Thwaites (Prince Phillip) is a nice looking person as well but as the 'handsome young Prince' he's just a goofy looking teenager with no charisma and not what one would call handsome at all.

The film is probably too dark and may even be too scary for the young audience it should be attracting. The concept of an old well known story told from the villain's point of view has an attraction but the results this time are not satisfying. I kept thinking 'Jesus Christ Superstar' or 'The Last Temptation of Christ' two earlier attempts at the same theme, neither of which succeeded very well.

The 'Big Reveal' at the end was so telegraphed from the earlier Disney film Frozen, that what is supposed to be a surprising twist, is really no surprise at all, nor does it have any pleasing songs to reel you in. If you want a visual feast Maleficent may fill the bill for you but if you're going for a good story it likely won't satisfy.